Bill Text: CA ACR169 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Concurrent Resolution 169

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: California Law Revision Commission: studies.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2024-07-02 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Res. Chapter 138, Statutes of 2024. [ACR169 Detail]

Download: California-2023-ACR169-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Concurrent Resolution

No. 169

Introduced by Assembly Member Kalra

April 08, 2024

Relative to the California Law Revision Commission.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

ACR 169, as introduced, Kalra. California Law Revision Commission: studies.

Existing law requires the California Law Revision Commission to study, and limits the commission to studying, topics approved by resolution of the Legislature or by statute.

This measure would grant approval to the commission to continue its study of designated topics that the Legislature previously authorized or directed the commission to study.

The measure would require the commission, before commencing work on any project within its authorized calendar of topics, to submit a detailed description of the scope of work to the chairs and vice chairs of the Assembly Committee on Judiciary and the Senate Committee on Judiciary, and any other policy committee that has jurisdiction, as specified. If a major change to the scope of work occurs during the course of the project, the measure would require the commission to submit a description of the change.

Fiscal Committee: YES

WHEREAS, The California Law Revision Commission is authorized to study topics set forth in the calendar contained in its report to the Governor and the Legislature that have been or are thereafter approved for study by concurrent resolution of the Legislature, and topics that have been referred to the commission for study by concurrent resolution of the Legislature or by statute; and

WHEREAS, The commission, in its annual report covering its activities for 2021 and 2022, recommends continued study of 13 topics, all of which the Legislature has previously authorized or directed the commission to study, and the addition of one new topic of study; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature approves for continued study by the California Law Revision Commission the topics listed below, all of which the Legislature has previously authorized or directed the commission to study:

(1) Whether the law should be revised that relates to creditors’ remedies, including, but not limited to, attachment, garnishment, execution, repossession of property (including the claim and delivery statute, self-help repossession of property, and the Commercial Code provisions on repossession of property), confession of judgment procedures, default judgment procedures, enforcement of judgments, the right of redemption, procedures under private power of sale in a trust deed or mortgage, possessory and nonpossessory liens, insolvency, and related matters.

(2) Whether the Probate Code should be revised, including, but not limited to, the issue of whether California should adopt, in whole or in part, the Uniform Probate Code, and related matters.

(3) Whether the law should be revised that relates to real and personal property, including, but not limited to, a marketable title act, covenants, servitudes, conditions, and restrictions on land use or relating to land, common interest developments, powers of termination, escheat of property and the disposition of unclaimed or abandoned property, eminent domain, quiet title actions, abandonment or vacation of public streets and highways, partition, rights and duties attendant on assignment, subletting, termination, or abandonment of a lease, and related matters.

(4) Whether the law should be revised that relates to family law, including, but not limited to, community property, the adjudication of child and family civil proceedings, child custody, adoption, guardianship, freedom from parental custody and control, and related matters, including other subjects covered by the Family Code.

(5) Whether the law relating to discovery in civil cases should be revised.

(6) Whether the Evidence Code should be revised.

(7) Whether the law relating to arbitration, mediation, and other alternative dispute resolution techniques should be revised.

(8) Whether there should be changes to administrative law.

(9) Recommendations to be reported pertaining to statutory changes that may be necessitated by court unification.

(10) Whether the law of contracts should be revised, including the law relating to the effect of electronic communications on the law governing contract formation, the statute of frauds, the parol evidence rule, and related matters.

(11) Whether the law governing the place of trial in a civil case should be revised.

(12) Whether the Fish and Game Code and related statutory law should be revised to improve its organization, clarify its meaning, resolve inconsistencies, eliminate unnecessary or obsolete provisions, standardize terminology, clarify program authority and funding sources, and make other minor improvements, without making any significant substantive change to the effect of the law.

(13) The Legislature authorizes and requests that the California Law Revision Commission study, report on, and prepare recommended legislation to revise Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 25100) and Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 25300) of Division 20 of the Health and Safety Code, and related provisions, to improve the organization and expression of the law. Such revisions may include, but are not limited to, grouping similar provisions together, reducing the length and complexity of sections, eliminating obsolete or redundant provisions, and correcting technical errors. The recommended revisions shall not make any substantive changes to the law. The commission’s report shall also include a list of substantive issues that the commission identifies in the course of its work, for possible future study.

(14) Whether the law should be revised to provide special rules that would apply to an area affected by a state of disaster or emergency declared by the federal government, a state of emergency proclaimed by the Governor under Section 8625 of the Government Code, or a local emergency proclaimed by a local governing body or official under Section 8630 of the Government Code. Before beginning a study under this authority, the commission shall provide notice to legislative leadership and any legislative policy committee with jurisdiction over the proposed study topic and shall consider any formal or informal feedback received in response to the notice; and be it further

Resolved, That before commencing work on any project within the calendar of topics the Legislature has authorized or directed the commission to study, the commission shall submit a detailed description of the scope of work to the chairs and vice chairs of the Assembly Committee on Judiciary and the Senate Committee on Judiciary, and any other policy committee that has jurisdiction over the subject matter of the study, and if during the course of the project there is a major change to the scope of work, submit a description of the change; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the California Law Revision Commission and to the author for appropriate distribution.